I thought I would post my thoughts since I hit 40 on the 12 of October. (Yes it took me this long.)
To start, I am leveling a warlock, and generally it has been rough for me since I never got to experience the vanilla experience. I joined Late TBC, when wrath was in Beta still. So going into this, I didn't know ANYTHING about classic other then what people have said about it. Going into classic, I am not playing because I want nostalgia. I am only playing because it's free with my sub, and told myself I wouldn't burn myself out on it by rushing to 60 like other mad men. (You do you though, If you rushed, good on you!)
Addons I used: (Yes, I used addons. I do not care what anyone says about people who use addons. I am not here to be told how to play my game.)
Questie
TRP
Azeroth Autopilot (NO longer using due to it being completely broken and confusing)
Allyroute
1-10: Because I started playing during launch, it was rough questing in the starting zones. There was waves of people just destroying mobs everywhere. It was very hard to level, even on a rp server like I am on. But once I hit level 10 and got my first talent point.. I felt like I accomplished something, and considering Live (BFA) leveling, when you get to your talents and have to pick on, It doesn't feel like I accomplished anything. Here it felt great and made me smile. Leveling as a early lock with no Blue berry was rough, but once I got it, I had little issue at this level.
11-20: This was very rough because I didn't know where to go after completing the human starting zone. At this point, AAP was telling me to go to Darkshore. Like almost every zone, it was packed with people, made it harder to level in some places. After leveling to 18 I switched zones, went to Loch Modan, and got a new addon known as Allyroute. AAP was being a pain in the ass, so decided to just stop using it. around 16-19 I really wasn't feeling warlock and I kept going back and forth on if I wanted to continue or not. This happened a lot till around 34ish. I wasn't having too hard of a time killing mobs, but it was so boring! But I did do my first dungeon of classic at 20, and I really enjoyed it.
21-30: I stopped using Allyroute and just began grabbing every quest I could since it wanted to put me in Wetlands, and I was having a hard time with mobs there. So I left and went to Redridge and completed the zones. Had many groups with people. Some were assholes some were good people. I also ran BFD with a very good group and SFK. Sadly though, this time I really wasn't feeling Classic. I had started working IRL and I just didn't have the time to play. Plus I was bored and didn't know what I was doing. and the fact that people were telling me to go back to Retail, as if it was an insult, really was turning me off to the game. Thankfully my guild is what kept my hopes up, and around 28, I switched specs and decided to try my hand in Drain Tanking. Which at first, was very rough, mainly because I had made a huge mistake while putting my points in, that wouldn't be fixed till around 36ish. While leveling through this area, I did many of the warlock quests. The Class quests are something I have missed in WoW for a long time, and one of the reasons I liked Legion. Class quests are something I wish Live (BFA) had. And the talent points are something I do hope they bring back. I Got my succubus, and at 30, my fel hunter. Was so fun getting them.
31-40:I ran gnomer about 3 times at 30ish. As much as I dislike the dungeons, the quests it has really helped me level a bit. It was at this point where I really started having fun with Warlock. While I did die a few times while questing, they were because either people had pulled mobs, died and their mobs got put on me thus causing me to be overwhelmed. Or just pulling too many mobs I couldn't out heal. At around 34 is where I started using Allyroute once again, and started to fly through the quests, and though I took time to go and explore a bit I generally stuck to what Allyroute was telling me to go. At about 36, I respec again to fix my talents because I stupidly did them wrong and it made me broke from 36-38. I also ran SM for the first time since Wrath, and oh my.. I have missed it.. My group went through GY, Lib (Where I got my Caster dagger) Arm, and Cath. In cath we wiped on the last bosses, but killed Morgraine... So we couldn't kill Whitemane, which sucked. Running SM brought a lot of memories back. I also continued doing the class quests, and even got my lock orb which goes great with the dagger from SM Lib. After a lot of back tracking and doing quests, I finally hit Arathi Highlands. Which is where I finally hit 40.
40: After hitting level 40, I honestly was feeling a bit burned out on Classic, something I said I wouldn't do to myself, so I decided to take a break from it and play some other games. Get some rested xp before hitting the grind again to 60. While I've had my ups an downs on classic. I really am enjoying the game. I feel like I am on an adventure. Something I don't feel on Live (BFA) anymore. It's something I miss. I got my fel horsy, and logged. Overall? I really do hope that Blizz takes some things from classic and integrates them back into Live. and this isn't the end of my adventure. I still have 20 levels to go, and I can't wait.
This has been my experience and thoughts after spending 2 months of leveling. Honestly it has been a roller coaster ride. I am taking a small break to recharge, as well as get some rested xp, and play some other games. But I will be back. How's your experience so far? From what I have read, many are kinda in between liking and hating classic. I've even seen people who have had their experience ruined by Elitists of classic. How do you feel so far?